diff --git a/MAKEPKGS.BAT b/MAKEPKGS.BAT
index 6f8375f4..750df444 100644
--- a/MAKEPKGS.BAT
+++ b/MAKEPKGS.BAT
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ IF "%1"=="" GOTO USAGE
 REM assumes ran in same directory as this file, ie base of kernel source
 SET BASEPATH=%CD%
 CD ..
+REM when called from RELEASE.BAT assume clean source exported from version control
+IF "%2"=="RELEASE" GOTO PACK
 
 ECHO create source copy
 if EXIST SOURCE RMDIR /S /Q SOURCE > NUL
@@ -18,18 +20,20 @@ PUSHD .
 CD SOURCE\ke%1
 CALL clobber.bat
 POPD
-PAUSE
 
+:PACK
 SET VERSION=%1
 SET LSMRET=SRC
 SET LSMFILE=SOURCE\ke%1\docs\fdkernel.lsm
 GOTO LSM
 :SRC
+REM remove CONFIG.BAT if exists, such as building packages from develoment directory
+IF EXIST SOURCE\ke%1\CONFIG.BAT DEL SOURCE\ke%1\CONFIG.BAT > NUL
 ECHO zipping source
 7z.exe a -tzip -mx9 -mpass15 -r ke%1s.zip SOURCE\*
 ECHO creating APPINFO and expected packaging dir structure
 ECHO using working configuration file
-::COPY trunk\CONFIG.BAT SOURCE\ke%1 > NUL
+COPY %BASEPATH%\CONFIG.BAT SOURCE\ke%1\ > NUL
 CD SOURCE\ke%1
 
 ECHO build and packaging
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ SET VERSION=
 GOTO %LSMRET%
 
 :USAGE
-ECHO Build kernel packages (interim builds or release without tagging) - usage: %0 {VERSION} e.g. %0 2039
+ECHO Build kernel packages (interim builds or release without tagging) - usage: %0 {VERSION} e.g. %0 2039 or %0 git
 :DONE
 CD %BASEPATH%
 SET BASEPATH=
diff --git a/RELEASE.BAT b/RELEASE.BAT
index 1f157207..08d95f88 100644
--- a/RELEASE.BAT
+++ b/RELEASE.BAT
@@ -1,92 +1,29 @@
 @ECHO OFF
 IF "%1"=="" GOTO USAGE
-REM goto to just below trunk and tags directory, assume ran in trunk directory
-CD ..
+REM assume ran in root directory of kernel checkout, e.g. C:\fdos\source\kernel\
 
-ECHO tag SVN with release version - svn copy trunk/ tags/ke%1
-svn copy https://freedos.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freedos/kernel/trunk/ https://freedos.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freedos/kernel/tags/ke%1 -m "Tag kernel release %1"
-PAUSE
-ECHO svn export to get clean tree
-if EXIST SOURCE RMDIR /S /Q SOURCE > NUL
-svn export https://freedos.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freedos/kernel/tags/ke%1 SOURCE\ke%1
-REM svn export https://freedos.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freedos/kernel/trunk SOURCE\ke%1
+ECHO tag git with release version - 
+git tag -a -m "Tag kernel release %1" ke%1 HEAD
+ECHO get a clean tree
+if EXIST ..\SOURCE RMDIR /S /Q ..\SOURCE > NUL
+git clone -v --local --branch ke%1 . ..\SOURCE\ke%1\
+::git clone -v --local . ..\SOURCE\ke%1\
 
-SET VERSION=%1
-SET LSMRET=SRC
-SET LSMFILE=SOURCE\ke%1\docs\fdkernel.lsm
-GOTO LSM
-:SRC
-ECHO zipping source
-7z.exe a -tzip -mx9 -mpass15 -r ke%1s.zip SOURCE\*
-ECHO creating APPINFO and expected packaging dir structure
-ECHO using working configuration file
-COPY trunk\CONFIG.BAT SOURCE\ke%1 > NUL
-CD SOURCE\ke%1
+REM delete files to exclude
+RD /S /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\.git > NUL
+RD /S /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\.github > NUL
+DEL /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\.git* > NUL
+DEL /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\*.yml > NUL
+DEL /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\ci*.sh > NUL
+DEL /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\docs\*.yml > NUL
+DEL /Q ..\SOURCE\ke%1\docs\CNAME > NUL
+pause
 
-ECHO build and packaging
-SET VERSION=%1 (FAT12/FAT16)
-SET FAT=16
-SET BZKRET=F16
-GOTO BZK
-:F16
-SET VERSION=%1 (FAT12/FAT16/FAT32)
-SET FAT=32
-SET BZKRET=F32
-GOTO BZK
-:F32
-ECHO clean up
-CD ..\..
-RMDIR /S /Q SOURCE > NUL
-ECHO Done.
-SET BZKRET=
+ECHO %CD%
+CALL MAKEPKGS.BAT %1 RELEASE
 GOTO DONE
 
-
-:BZK
-ECHO build kernel %VERSION%
-CALL build.bat /D KERNEL_VERSION /V "%1 " 86 upx fat%FAT%
-DEL BIN\K??86??.sys
-SET LSMRET=BZK_2
-SET LSMFILE=docs\fdkernel.lsm
-GOTO LSM
-:BZK_2
-SET LSMRET=
-ECHO zipping FAT%FAT% release version
-7z.exe a -tzip -mx9 -mpass15 -r ..\..\ke%1_86f%FAT%.zip BIN\* DOCS\*
-ECHO restructuring and zipping update package
-DEL BIN\K??86??.* > NUL
-MKDIR DOC
-MKDIR DOC\KERNEL
-COPY DOCS\* DOC\KERNEL\
-MKDIR APPINFO
-MOVE DOC\KERNEL\*.lsm APPINFO\
-7z.exe a -tzip -mx9 -mpass15 -r ..\..\kernel%FAT%.zip APPINFO\* BIN\* DOC\*
-ECHO cleaning up between builds
-CALL clobber.bat
-RMDIR /S /Q DOC
-RMDIR /S /Q APPINFO
-GOTO %BZKRET%
-
-:LSM
-ECHO Begin3>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Title:          The FreeDOS Kernel>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Version:        %VERSION%>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Entered-date:   %DATE%>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Description:    The FreeDOS Kernel>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Keywords:       kernel, FreeDOS, DOS, MSDOS>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Author:         (developers: can be reached on the freedos-kernel mailing list)>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Maintained-by:  freedos-kernel@lists.sourceforge.net>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Primary-site:   http://freedos.sourceforge.net/kernel/>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Alternate-site: http://www.fdos.org/kernel/>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Alternate-site: https://freedos.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freedos>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Original-site:  http://www.gcfl.net/pub/FreeDOS/kernel>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Platforms:      DOS, FreeDOS, DOSEMU (OpenWatcom C or Turbo C, NASM, UPX)>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO Copying-policy: GPL2>>%LSMFILE%
-ECHO End>>%LSMFILE%
-SET LSMFILE=
-SET VERSION=
-GOTO %LSMRET%
-
 :USAGE
 ECHO Tag and build release kernels - usage: RELEASE {VERSION} e.g. RELEASE 2039
 :DONE
+ECHO Please git push the tag to origin and upload the archives.